site.btaBulgaria Shows EU's Third-Highest Rise in New Car Registrations in 2025

Bulgaria had 49,419 new cars registered in 2025, representing a rise of 15.1% compared with 2024. This was the third-highest increase in the European Union, according to data published on the website of the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA) on Tuesday.

Ahead of Bulgaria were only Lithuania (with a 39.3% increase) and Latvia (31.4%).

The share of new petrol-powered cars was the highest among all new cars registered in Bulgaria in 2025. New petrol-powered car registrations in the country totalled 38,875, which was an increase of 14.4% compared with 2024. Next were new diesel-powered vehicles, totalling 5,313, a decrease of 8.6%.

Fully battery-electric vehicles (BEV) accounted for 2,420 cars, an increase of 62% compared with 2024. The share of newly registered hybrid electric vehicles (HEV) in the country was smaller, at 2,045 cars, representing an annual rise of 103.5%, as were plug-in hybrid vehicles, totalling 566, or an increase of 21.2%.

Across the EU, last year saw 10,822,831 new car registrations, a rise of just 1.8% compared with 2024. Overall volumes in 2025 remained well below pre-pandemic levels, ACEA reported.